Inkstand.



PATBNTED AUG. z3, 1904.

No. 768,174. J. F. HTZSIMMONS.r

INKSTAND.

APPLIOATION FILED 00128, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

1-:l1 veu TEW v I @W E fyi w Patented August 23, 1904.

JOHN F. FITZsnuMons,l oF; HILLsDALE, MICHIGAN.

' INKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming ,part of Letters Patent 10,768,174, dates. August 2s, 1904..

Application filed October 28, 1903.

rTo Ir/ZZ whom t may concern:

Bev it known that I, JOHN F. FITZsIMMoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsdale, in the county of Hillsdale and State of l Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inkstands, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to inkstands ofy that class in which a minimum of evaporation is provided vfor and in which the supply of ink for the pen is automatically raised for the pen to be dipped thereinto.

The objects of the invention are to improve the construction and operation of. the means for automatically raising the ink from the well for the dipping of the pen thereinto, to maintain a constant supply of air Within` the chamber above vthe `ink and havel such maintenance automatic with the raising of the ink from the well into the pen-duct, to insure the requisite supply of air for the. operation of lifting theink corresponding to the amount of ink displaced, to -preventingress of tlie'air-` supply to the ink-chamber through the penduct for the ink, to insure a tight seal of the chamber for the ink when the coveris in place, to force the air-supply into the `inkchainberfor compensating for displacement ofthe ink on the return movement of the means forv raising the ink into position for the pen to dip thereinto, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the several parts entering into the inkstand as a whole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectionalelevation of the inkstand of the invention -with the operative Lpartsfor raising the inl; in po-l sition in the ink-containing chamber and well, such parts being shown in full elevation; Fig. 2*, asectional elevation of the inkstand-body and its ink-containing chamber and well, with the operative parts for raisingfthe ink also in sectional elevation and in position for use; Fig'. 3, a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in l the direction'of the arrow; Fig. 4t, a sectional elevation ofthe cover of the inksta-nd and the supporting-tube for the piston that raisesthe ink, the .-.piston beingv shown .in full elevation c,

Serial No. 178,900. (No model.)

and showing a modification in the air-supply section with a filling and feeding plugin the cover. n

, The inkstand has a body A, which vmay be make of glass, porcelain, orother suitable materialand may be of the form shown or other desired form. The upper portion of the body of the inkstand has formed therein achamber or cup A for receiving the ink, and` `leading' downward from the bottom of this ink-re-` ceiving chamber or cup is a Well a, which preferably is of a cylindrical shape 1n crosssection, but could be of other shape in crosssection. This construction 'of :chamber and well for the inkfincreases .the capacity of the stand as to theamount of ink that'can beheld inthe inkstand and at the same time allows only that portion'of thelink contained .in the Well to lbe'displaced in raising the' inkto be in position for use, the inlcflowing from the chamber into the well as it is used, with the result that practically all ofthe ink can be, consumed before theinkstand hasto be refilled, thus giving a .longer period of `use for the stand than would be the ca se if the supply jof ink was furnished from the well Aonly without the auxiliary supply-chamber above ythe well. I a

The top of the inlI- chamber Ais to ybe closed air-tight when the ink is inthe chambervand well by a suitable cover. The cover B shown is-a .plate or disk of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material having anannular hole at its center and having its under .face'b 4of a concave shape, so as to furnish between vthe top of the inl; inthe chamber A and the under face of .the cover an air-chamber B', into which air is -admittedto supply the requisite amount ofair asy the ink is withdrawn for use. The cover B has a circumferential flange b2, which Whenthecoveris in place rests on the top of the inkstandaround the ink-receiving chamber, and theunder face of the cover B has a shoulder b3 anda Wall b4,

the Wall having an inclined outer face, las

shown in Figs. 2, 4f, and 5. The wall b4 receives a packing-ring bwhich abuts at its `upper edge `against :the under side of the shoulder 723, leaving the space Zi between the shoulder and the face of the chamber as a clearance for the rubber or other packing-,ring in closing the chamber with the cover, thus insuring an air-tight joint between the cover and the ink-receiving chamber, which is necessary in order to insure perfect operation in raising the ink into position for the dip of the pen thereinto.

A tube C, of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material, is entered through the hole b of the'cover, and the exterior of this tube has a shoulder c, which abuts against the face of the cover around the hole 7), malring a tight joint. The tube extends above and below the cover, and its lower portion c terminates at its end in a plane approximately in line with the bottom of the ink-chamber, and its upper portion c2 furnishes a guard for the pen to enter the receptacle for the ink at the top of the ink-duct. The inner wall of the tube C in the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 has therein grooves or passages c3 extending from the lower end of the tube upwardly and terminating adjacent to the upper end of the tube with a wall or flange 0*, which furnishes a stoppage against the squirting of ink through the duct or passage in the operation of the ink-lifting piston, though the grooves or passages c3 could extend from end to end of the tube C, if so desired, and in either form of arrangement these grooves or passages serve as air-duets for carrying air from the exterior of the inkstand into the inkreceiving chamber A' for the air to pass into the air-chamber B above the ink as the inl: is lowered in the chamber and well in use. A hollow stem D is located within the tube C and is free to slide endwise in the tube C, and this stem D has at its lower end an outwardly horizontal projecting flange d, which serves as an abutment to stri-ke agains'tthe end of the tube C and limit the upward movement of the stem D within the tube C, and this flange also forms the body of a hollow piston or plunger E depending from the iange, and for which the stem D forms a guide in the reciprocating or risingsandffalling movement.

The piston E in cross-section is of a less diameter than the interior diameter of the well, and when the parts are normal the flange (Z is approximately in the horizontal plane of the upper end of the well with the piston or plunger wholly, as to its body, within the well c of the ink-chamber, so that in its rising-and-falling movement the piston or plunger E moves only within the space of the well up and down,

` its upwardmovementl being limited by the engagement of the flange or abutment (l with the lower end of the tube C, and its downs ward movement being limited by the contact of its end wall or head with the bottom of the ink-well a of the ink-chamber. A feed-tube F for the ink extends upwardly from the bottom or head of the piston or plunger E, and

this tube F has therein its entire length a duct or passagef, into which the ink rises to enter the receiving-cup f of the dip-funnel Fl to be accessible to the pen. The inl( duct or passagefis tapered from its upper end to its lower end, and its lower end communicates 'through a port c in the bottom of the piston or plunger with the ink-well a, so that willi the depression of the piston or plunger aduantity of ink in the well (t will be displaced and be forced through the port e into the passage or duct f to enter the pen-receptacle or cup f', and in such lifting of the ink the tapered duct or passage f facilitates the operation as it increases in diameter from the admissionport e until the dip funnel or cup F is reached. The tapered form of the ink duct or passage f also serves as a means for retaining ink in the duet or passage, so that the retained ink will furnish a seal against the indrawing of air through the duct or passagef, thus forcing all of the air which is carried into the air chamber to pass through the air ducts or pas sages c3 with the movement of the piston or plunger in the construction shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3.

In use the ink-receiving chamber A and the well a are filled with inlr approximately to the height in the receiving-chamber A/ of the end face of the wall L, so as to leave an air-chamber between the upper surface o l the ink and the under face of the cover, into which space a certain amount of air remains. '.lheI ink in the well (t surrounds the piston or plunger E and is below the bottom of the piston or plunger. The depression of the piston or plunger by inserting the pen into the dip-funnel F and bearing down on the funnel causes the ink in the well to be forced up through the port e and duct or passage f into the dipchamber f' of the dip-funnel to a suiiicient height for the pen to receive the ink thereon. This descent of the piston or plunger in forcing the ink upward through thc duct or passage f draws out a certain amount of inl", lowering the ink in the ink-chamber, and, as this chamber is air-tight, if means were not provided to supply additional air the air in the chamber at first would expand so as to not furnish the requisite abutment to act in conjunction with the piston and lift the ink, and the requisite amount of air within the chamber is maintained by fresh air drawn in through the air ducts or passages c in the tube C, such indrawing of the air occurring with the upward movement of the piston or plunger, forcing the air to escape at the lower end ol the ducts or passages and rise up through the body of ink in the chamber A and enter the air-chamber above the ink. This operation of drawing in air as required will occur with each dcscentand ascent of the piston or phmger, and in so drawing in of the air no air can pass through thc central ink duct or passage f, as that duct or passa gc is sealed against lOD llO

. the admission of air by the inl; therein. It will .thus be seen that the piston orl plungerI plunger to operate in a uniform and regular` manner indisplacing and raisinga quantity of ink yand supplying fresh air toy the airchamber as the ink lowers in-suchchamber.

The air ducts or passages, as shown in Figs. .v 1, 2, and 3, terminate at'a point belowvtheti'p of the inclosedtube, which prevents upward spurtingof the ink in thedescentof the piston orplunger, as the ink will strike the under face of the vflange 04 and be deflected into the upper end of the stem to pass into the dip-funnel, and with the ascent of the piston the ink which entered the air ducts or passages in thedescent of the piston willbe forced therefrom, and at the Sametime the fresh supply of air will be Adrawn into the'ducts or passages 03 to enter the air-chamber and compensate forthe loss of ink incident lto its use with the pen. n

`The air-supply to compensate lfor-thewithdrawal ofthe ink in Suse can be attained otherwisethan through the ducts andpassages 03. As shown in Fig. `4, atube G is entered through the cover B, and this tube has a passage g, the lower end g of wh-ich is contracted somewhat. minates approximately at ythe line of termination of the tube C, and the airto supply the deficiency from-the withdrawal ofthe ink is drawn through the passage g by the upward movement' of the piston or plunger E in the same mannerfas the air is drawn through the ducts or passages 03 in supplying air to the chamber B above the ink in such chamber. The contracted end g". of the passage g prevents ink from beingyforced rapidly into the passage withthe descent of the piston and plunger-,and thus prevents spurting ofthe ink through the tube G in the operation of.

raising the ink into the dip-funnel, and what little ink` enters the tube G withthe descent of the piston or plunger is withdrawn therefrom on thev ascent of the piston or plunger, allowing air to pass downward throughthe tube G and enter the body of the ink to rise into the air-chamber. .v

The operation ofthe construction shown in Fig. 4, so far as relates to the indrawing of air for maintaining normal position as to air in the ink-chamber, is in all material respects the same as described for indrawing air through the ducts or passages c3 through the action of the piston or plunger.

rIhe cover, if so desired, may have a lilling-opening therein closed by a plug H; as shown inv Fig. 5, this opening closed by the plug serving -as a vent for filling purposes,

but having no effect in the operation of the The lower end of the .tubeGter-- piston-plunger, except that iftheplug is not inserted the piston or yplunger will be inoperative, making it necessary, therefore, to have the plug tightly insertedfor the' piston or plungerto operate.L y

Itwill bev seen that with the inkstand of this invention -a supply of ink is provided vth at will enable the stand to be used for-a long period of time without refilling, that the ink- .standas a whole is simple in construction,

easily operated, and effective and reliable in use, that the movementsof the piston or plunger in its ascent and descent withdraws ink as required for use in the dip-funnel andalso maintains a constant lsupply of air under normal conditions in the ink-receiving chamber, andthis regardless of the amount of-ink therein or the quantity of ink withdrawn, and that the airl is effectually sealed against'entering the ink-containing chamber-except through the proper air ducts ory passages and cannot enter through the 'induct or passage for the dip-funnel.

.While it is preferred to use an ink-receivingchamber with alwell leading therefrom, it is to be understood vthat the piston or plunger, with the air-supplying ducts or passages, could be used with a well alone and perform the voperation of -forcing the ink to the dipfunnel and drawing in air. to maintain anormal supply. ofair above the ink.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an inkstand having an inl: well or reseivoirwvitli anair-tight cover. thereover, an

j air duct or passage opening. into the well or reservoir, a piston within the well or reservoir adapted to be depressed and of its own volition return to normal position yand by its depression raising the ink to the pen and with its return movement-automatically supplyingy airto the well or reservoir. through the air duct or passage as the ink is eonsumedyin-use, substantially asdescribed.

v2. In an inlstand having an ink-reservoir and a well with an air-tight cover thereover, an air passage or-vduct opening into the reservoir, and a piston within the well, the kpiston operating by its rise `in the well .toautomatically draw.` air into the reservoir through the air passage orpduct and supply ink to the well as the ink is withdrawn in use, substantially` as described. w f d 3,. In an inkstand having an ink-well, a piston operating within the well, and an air-duct opening Vinto the well for the rise of the piston to automatically supply air to the well through the air duct or passage as the ink is Withdrawn in use,substantially as described. 4. In an inkstand in which the ink for use is raised by displacement, an air duct or passage, and a p iston having arising-and-falling movement and in rising automatically sup"- plying air through the air duct or passagey to maintain the pressure on the ink as the ink ISO is withdrawn in use, substantially as described.

5. In an inlstand having an ink-receiving chamber and an ink-well below and in communication with the chamber, the combination of a cover over the ink-chamber, a tube carried by and extending above and below the cover and terminating at its lower end approximately in line with the bottom oi' the ink-receiving chamber, a piston operating wholly below the lower end of the covered tube and having an upwardly-extending pasrage terminating in a dip-funnel, and an airsupplying duct or passage through which air is drawn with the upward movement of the piston to lill the vacuum created by the withdrawal oi' the ink from the chamber and well, substantially as described.

6. In an inkstand having an ink-receiving chamber and an ink-well below and in communication with the chamber, the combination of a cover over the ink-chamber, a tube carried by and extending above and below the cover and terminating at its lower end approximately at the bottom oi' the ink-chamber and having in its interior face air duets or passages, and a piston movable wholly within the well and having an interior ink-passage sealed against the admission of air therethrough, substantially as described.

7. In an inkstand having an ink-receiving chamber and an ink-well below and in communication with the chamber, the combination of a cover over the ink-chamber, a tube carried by and extending above and below the cover and terminating at its lower end approximately at the bottom of the ink-chamber and having in its interior face air duets or passages, closed at their upper ends, and a piston movable wholly within the well and having an interior ink-passage sealed against the admission of air therethrough,substantially as described.

8. In an inlrstand having an ink-receiving chamber and an ink-well below and in communication with the chamber, the combination oi' a cover, a tube carried by and extending above and below the cover with its lower end terminating approximately at the line of the bottom of the ink-receiving chamber and having in its inner face longitudinal grooves forming air ducts or passages and starting at a point below the upper end oi' the tube and opening at the bottom through the end of the tube,

and a piston adapted to move up and down wholly within the well and having an interior ink-passage sealed against the admission of air therethrough, substantially as described.

9. In an inlistand,the combination ol an inl"- reeeiving chamber, a well below the chamber of contracted diameter, an air-tight cover for the chamber, an inelosing tube extending downwardly from the cover into the ink-receiving chamber and provided with grooves on its inner face forming air duets or passages, a piston adapted to rise and fall below thelower end of the tubeand located within the ink-well and provided with a circumlerential iiange at its upper end forming a shoulder to abut against the lower end ol the inclosing tube, and an ink-tube upwardly extending from the bottom oi' the piston and having conimunication with the inl( well and sealed against the admission of air therethrough, substantially as described.

l0. In an inkstand, the comlnation ol an ink-receiving chamber having a semisplusrical shape and terminating in an ink-well, an airtight cover over the ink-receiving chamber, a piston operating wholly within the well, an ink-passage upwardly extending from the bottom of the piston, and an air-supply passage through which air is automatically supplied to the ink-receiving chamber, thereby maintaining the piston and the passage upwardly leading therefrom at normal height without regard to the quantity of inl( within the chamber or well, substantially as described.

1l. In an inkstand, the combination of an ink-receiving chamber terminating in a well, a cover tightly closing the ink-receiving chamber, a piston operating wholly within the well, an upwardly-extending tube from the bottom oi' the piston furnishing an ink-passage and sealed against the admission of air therethrough to the ink-receiving chamber, and means for automatically supplying air to the ink-receiving chamber through the movements ot' the piston for maintaining the piston and its upwardly-extending tube at normal height irrespective of the quantity ol' ink in the ink-receiving chamber and well, substantially as described.

JOHN F. Fl'lTZSlh/IMONS.

Titnessesz HowARi) CAM rBuLL, EDWARD M. BLivuN.

lOO 

